Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate and Palestinian activist held in a Louisiana jail, was permitted to hold his one-month-old son, Deen, for the first time thanks to a federal judge. The visit occurred before Khalil’s scheduled immigration hearing, during which he faces potential deportation for his involvement in protests against Israel’s actions in Gaza. The judge’s decision overruled the Trump administration’s attempt to restrict the meeting with a Plexiglass barrier, a move Khalil’s attorneys argued was politically motivated.
After traveling over 2,400 kilometers to reach the detention center, Noor Abdalla, Khalil’s wife, was finally able to introduce her son to his father. This harsh separation, which echoes the experiences of many Palestinian families affected by conflict and imprisonment, has been a source of significant emotional distress for the couple. Despite not being criminally charged, Khalil is being considered for deportation due to his prominent role in protests that might be seen as undermining U.S. foreign policy objectives.
Khalil’s request to attend his son’s birth was initially denied by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In an open letter to his son published in The Guardian, Khalil reflected on the pain of being apart and the broader impact on other Palestinian families separated by conflict.
The case drew further attention during Columbia University’s commencement, where President Claire Shipman acknowledged Khalil’s absence and graduates chanted “Free Mahmoud.” Abdalla accepted a diploma on his behalf at an alternative graduation ceremony. This scenario is not isolated, as at least three other international students have been released from detention following legal challenges, all facing threats of deportation under the Trump administration’s initiatives.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/22/mahmoud-khalil-son-contact
